Espinosa at second base, Lobaton behind plate (under way after rain delay)

Espinosa at second base, Lobaton behind plate (under way after rain delay)
CINCINNATI - Danny Espinosa is back at second base today for the finale of the Nats' three-game series at Great American Ball Park against the Reds. Jose Lobaton is behind the plate, catching Nationals right-hander Doug Fister. In the seven games Lobaton has been his batterymate, Fister has worked to a 2.09 ERA and opposing batters have hit only .214. Fister will be opposed by righty Mat Latos. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond...

Gonzalez faces Gallardo, lineups for Brewers-Nats finale

Gonzalez faces Gallardo, lineups for Brewers-Nats finale
After flight issues forced the Nationals to delay Gio Gonzalez's first start after the All-Star break by a day, the left-hander will be looking to stay hot in this afternoon's series finale against the Brewers. Gonzalez went into the break riding a streak of four straight quality starts, having allowed three earned runs in 27 2/3 innings for a 0.98 ERA during that time. He takes on right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who has been one of the Brewers' best starters this year, but has had some...

Williams on Harper's struggles at the plate: "He'll be fine" (game postponed)

Williams on Harper's struggles at the plate: "He'll be fine" (game postponed)
Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper went 0-for-3 Monday in the loss to the Orioles. He has gone just 3-for-20 (.150) in the past six games with 10 strikeouts. On Monday, Harper popped out, flew out to center field, struck out looking and was walked twice (once intentionally) in five plate appearances. Manager Matt Williams said during Tuesday's pregame meeting with the media that he saw something in Harper's approach last night that gives him hope that Harper might be able to come out of this...

Espinosa not in lineup, Lobaton catching Fister

Espinosa not in lineup, Lobaton catching Fister
Looks like Danny Espinosa will have to wait at least one more day to return to the Nationals starting lineup. Espinosa isn't in the lineup posted for tonight's 6:05 p.m. game against the Rockies, the last of a three-game series. Instead, Anthony Rendon is manning second base, Ryan Zimmerman is at third and Bryce Harper is in left field. Manager Matt Williams had said last night that he was considering playing Espinosa today. Instead, the lineup remains the same from 1-7 in the order. The only...

Hearing from Rendon, Fister, Zimmerman and Lobaton after 3-0 win over Braves

Hearing from Rendon, Fister, Zimmerman and Lobaton after 3-0 win over Braves
Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon continued his clutch hitting in the last two games with a 3-for-4 performance, with a double and two RBIs in a 3-0 shutout of the Braves. "It was good. We executed the small things," Rendon said. "Small ball comes into play. That is how you play the game." Winning pitcher Doug Fister went eight innings and threw 117 pitches, allowing no runs on five hits. Fister continued his trademark quick work, wasting no time on the mound between pitches. "We...

Nats lineup for Game 2 vs. Rangers

Nats lineup for Game 2 vs. Rangers
The Nationals are using a similar lineup as last night, but with one exception. Jose Lobaton will get the start at catcher this afternoon in place of Wilson Ramos. Doug Fister seeks his third straight win. For the Rangers LF Shin-Soo Choo SS Elvin Andrus 1B Mitch Moreland 3B Adrian Beltre RF Alex Rios C Robinson Chirinos CF Leonys Martin 2B Rougned Odor RHP Nick Tepesch For the Nats CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond LF Nate McLouth 2B Danny...

Nats players react to Gonzalez's outing and dugout incident

Nats players react to Gonzalez's outing and dugout incident
Gio Gonzalez was far from his best when making his first start in Oakland since the A's traded him to the Nationals in December 2011. The game had essentially been decided by the time the second inning was done with the Nats trailing 7-0 after two on the way to a 9-1 loss to the Athletics. Gonzalez had easily his worst start of the season, allowing seven runs on nine hits, including two homers, in 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander walked three, struck out four and saw his ERA jump from 2.91 to...

Treinen suffers tough loss to Dodgers in first major league start

Treinen suffers tough loss to Dodgers in first major league start
In your first major league start, you hold the Los Angeles Dodgers to no earned runs over five-plus innings. Your fielding error allows the opponent to start a rally. But it is just three runs. Nationals right-hander Blake Treinen took the loss in an 8-3 defeat, but it was not because he wasn't ready or didn't have the stuff to compete. He did. "Obviously, I am excited to get an opportunity to come up here and play with this team," Treinen said. "Not so much nerves, as it was just trying...

Williams discusses Nats' 7-2 loss

Williams discusses Nats' 7-2 loss
PHILADELPHIA - Just like last night, the Nationals trailed the Phillies 3-0 before the first inning was complete. Unlike last night, the Nats weren't able to come back and pick up the win. Ryan Howard's three-run homer off Tanner Roark in the first put the Nats in another early hole, and the Phillies continued to add on from there, making it 7-0 by the end of the fifth. Roark was coming off a three-hit shutout his last time out, but he didn't have his good stuff today, and the Phillies...

Patrick Reddington: Minor move pays big dividends for Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Minor move pays big dividends for Nationals
Jayson Werth hit the big game-tying ninth-inning double last Wednesday night, on a 3-0 pitch from Angels closer Ernest Frieri. Adam LaRoche took Fernando Salas to left in the next at bat for a walk-off winner that capped off an improbable comeback in a game the Nationals appeared out of until catcher Jose Lobaton homered to start the bottom of the ninth inning. Both Werth and LaRoche pointed to Lobaton's blast to right field as the spark that got the offense started after they were held to one...

Strasburg and Lobaton building chemistry, helping produce success on the hill

Strasburg and Lobaton building chemistry, helping produce success on the hill
Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton said it was difficult to get to know Stephen Strasburg early in the season. But now that they have had three or four games working together, they are slowly building chemistry and trust. That bonding played an important role in Strasburg's seven innings of shutout ball in an 11-1 victory over the Padres on Friday night. "First time, it was kind of like I don't know how to go and talk to him in the dugout. He is a quiet guy, he likes to be alone," Lobaton...

How quickly things can turn

How quickly things can turn
You hear ballplayers say it all the time. One of the best things about this game is that regardless of what happens one night, you get to come right back the next night and try all over again. On Thursday, the Nationals went 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position. They left 14 men on base. They dropped a tough 12-inning game to the Padres. On Friday, the Nats showed up, tossed on the unis and pounded the ball all over the yard. They smacked 17 hits. They plated 11 runs. They went 7-for-17...

Some bad and some good

Some bad and some good
The Nationals have hit .223 with runners in scoring position thus far this season, ranking 22nd in the majors in that category. They've left 176 runners on base, which leads the National League. The talent is clearly there. The Nats are putting runners on, getting knocks and drawing walks. They had six of their starting position players notch at least two hits last night. For whatever reason, those hits largely just aren't coming with runners in scoring position. "I think we're trying...

Zimmermann felt stuff was good enough to go longer than six innings

Zimmermann felt stuff was good enough to go longer than six innings
The Nationals certainly had opportunities in their 4-3 12-inning loss to the Padres on Thursday. It ended on a hard-hit ball by catcher Jose Lobaton that doubled Bryce Harper off of second base. That play was another example of the many missed scoring chances the Nationals had. "That is the game," Lobaton said. "I was trying to do something better after that error. I was trying to get at least a base hit, move the runner. It was a pretty good line drive, he made a nice play, and that was...

Lobaton working on keeping swing short

Lobaton working on keeping swing short
Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton began Wednesday's ninth-inning rally against the Angels with his first home run of the season, a no-doubter down the right field line and into the Nationals bullpen, cutting the Angels lead to 4-2. The Nationals were able to score three more runs and come back to win 5-4. Lobaton connected on a 0-2 count after starting the night 0-for-3 at the plate. He said more time with Nationals hitting coach Rick Schu helped him to make an important adjustment in his...

Nats lineup for finale vs. Angels

Nats lineup for finale vs. Angels
Adam LaRoche is back in the Nationals lineup for tonight's series finale against the Angels after sitting out Tuesday in part because of a sore quad. Jose Lobaton is also back behind the plate after getting yesterday off. Tonight's contest sets up to be the most notable pitching matchup of the series with Nats left-hander Gio Gonzalez taking on Angels right-hander Jered Weaver. Gonzalez is off to a tremendous start, going 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA over his first four starts. Weaver has struggled...

Nats lineup vs. Marlins' Fernandez in series finale (Harper scratched)

Nats lineup vs. Marlins' Fernandez in series finale (Harper scratched)
MIAMI - The Nationals get their first crack at Marlins ace Jose Fernandez this season when the two teams wrap up their three-game set tonight. Fernandez, the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, went 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against the Nats last year. He held Washington to one run on five hits and five walks while striking out 13 in 13 innings. Tonight, the Nats have Tanner Roark on the mound and Jose Lobaton back behind the plate after Sandy Leon started four of the last six...

Rounding up the Nationals' injury udpates

Rounding up the Nationals' injury udpates
I wonder which part of the "How to Be a Major League Manager" handbook covers addressing your team's injuries with the assembled media before every game. Nationals skipper Matt Williams has been spending an inordinate amount of time each day recapping the various ailments that have befallen the Nats and how players are progressing, and Tuesday in Miami was no different. So without any further ado ... Outfielder Bryce Harper's quad is fine, as is outfielder Nate McLouth's sore left knee....

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish
The Nationals lineup for today's 4:05 p.m. finale of a three-game series against the Marlins has a slightly different look to it. Denard Span, who is hitting .241 through the first eight games and in a 2-for-17 slump, is taking a seat. He'll be replaced by Nate McLouth, who will lead off and play center field. Because it's a day game after a night game - and a getaway game before the Nats head to Atlanta for a weekend series - catcher Jose Lobaton isn't starting. Instead, backup Sandy Leon...

Good catch: Newcomer Lobaton has quickly fit in behind plate (with Fister note)

Good catch: Newcomer Lobaton has quickly fit in behind plate (with Fister note)
When they acquired catcher Jose Lobaton from the Rays on Feb. 13, the Nationals added an experienced backup backstop with good defensive skills who brought with him a reputation for preparedness and working hard. The Nationals wanted someone with substantial major league experience ready to strap on the gear in case something happened to injury-addled starter Wilson Ramos. Ramos injured his left hand in the season's first game and had surgery earlier this week to remove the hamate bone. He'll...